Overview:
Kaplan & Stratton is a leading law firm in Kenya. Established in 1938 Kaplan & Stratton is one of Kenya’s oldest law firms and is one of the leading law firms in the East African region.
Kaplan & Stratton is based in Nairobi the hub for business in English speaking East and Central Africa. Economic liberalisation in the region presents new challenges and fresh opportunities. We are fully equipped with advanced networked information systems. The firm has a dedicated and experienced management and administrative team.
We are at the forefront of developments in the African legal scene by being founder members of LEX Africa, a network of commercially oriented law firms covering 30 African countries. We have ties with practitioners in Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia and Rwanda. We work closely with other professional banking, tax and accountancy advisers in the region. We have long established links with leading commercial law firms in Europe, USA, Asia and further afield.
Kaplan & Stratton has an outstanding reputation for advising clients in the fields of investment, banking, corporate and commercial law and complex litigation and dispute resolution. We have been involved in many of the important developments in the field of business in Kenya the region’s principal economy. We work for private sector businesses, governmental and international donor agencies, parastatals, NGOs and multinational corporations. We have advised on legislative reforms and have sat on legal reform committees. Our objective is to give high quality legal and commercial advice through an efficiently managed, professional service that will facilitate our clients’ business dealings in Kenya and elsewhere in the region.
Law Firm Practice Areas
- Anti-trust & Competition Anti-bribery & AML
- Banking & Finance
- Corporate & M&A
- Employment & Pensions
- Intellectual Property
- Real Estate & Construction
- Tax
- Private Client
- Company Secretarial
- Dispute Resolution
Highlights:
Accolades and Rankings
The following practices of the Firm have consistently been ranked as top tier by leading global agencies:
1. CHAMBERS GLOBAL
Chambers Global: Ranked as a top tier firm for 20 consecutive years
Banking and Finance, Competition/Anti-Trust, Corporate/M&A, Dispute Resolution, Dispute Resolution – Arbitrators, Employment, Intellectual Property, Projects & Energy, Real Estate and Tax.
2. FLR 1000
IFLR1000: Ranked as a top tier firm for 15 consecutive years
Banking and Finance, Infrastructure, Project Development, Mining, Power, Corporate M&A
3. Legal 500
Legal 500 EMEA: Continuously ranked as leading law firm
Dispute Resolution, Employment, Privatization and Projects, Real Estate and Construction, Banking, Finance and Capital Markets, Commercial, Corporate and M&A.
Achievements
In the last 1-3 years:
1. Safaricom PLC (Safaricom)
We advised Safaricom Plc in connection with the formation of a strategic joint venture with Apeiro Limited and Konvergenz Network Solutions Limited to deliver a first-of-its-kind digital health infrastructure project for the Government of Kenya. The project will implement a nationwide health IT system under a long-term public-private partnership arrangement, supporting the Government’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda.
This matter involved complex corporate structuring and consortium formation, requiring alignment of three independent corporate entities with distinct commercial and operational roles into a cohesive consortium or joint venture for project delivery. Our mandate covered the full structuring of the JV including advising on the design and negotiation of the bid stage and project delivery consortium agreements, structuring inter-party governance, control rights, voting thresholds, and deadlock resolution, and advising on risk allocation, profit-sharing, and exit mechanics,
We also advised Safaricom on contractual strategy, exit mechanisms, dispute resolution frameworks, and change-in-control protections. Given the strategic importance of the project and the consortium’s engagement with the Government, we were also tasked with preparing enabling documentation such as subcontracting frameworks, escrow arrangements, and regulatory compliance documentation.
This is a landmark transaction that sets a precedent for the structuring of multi-party commercial collaborations in Kenya’s public infrastructure space. It demonstrates our expertise in structuring complex joint ventures, balancing diverse stakeholder interests, and navigating regulatory, contractual, and governance issues in high-value, cross-sector M&A transactions.
2. CFAO Group
Kaplan & Stratton is acting for CFAO Healthcare, a subsidiary of the multinational CFAO Group, in its proposed acquisition of 69.9% of the issued share capital of Africa Chemist & Beauty Care (ACBC), a leading pharmacy retail and distribution group operating under the Goodlife Pharmacy brand.
We have advised CFAO Healthcare on the structuring of the transaction, conducting legal due diligence on ACBC and its subsidiaries, negotiating the Share Purchase Agreement and are supporting the client through regulatory approvals in Kenya and other jurisdictions. We also advised on competition law considerations and are coordinating with counsel across multiple jurisdictions to align closing conditions and transaction milestones.
This is a landmark transaction in the pharmaceutical sector, marking a strategic move by CFAO Healthcare to expand its footprint in pharmaceutical retail and distribution across East Africa. The acquisition brings together wholesale and retail operations, creating an integrated pharmaceutical distribution network that is expected to enhance supply chain efficiencies, improve access to essential medicines, and reduce costs for consumers. The deal is complex due to its cross-border nature, and the level of regulatory scrutiny in a highly regulated sector. It represents a significant investment by a multinational into one of the region’s most prominent pharmacy chains and reflects the growing momentum behind healthcare consolidation in Sub-Saharan Africa.
3. Financial Sector Deepening Trust (FSD Kenya)
We advised FSD Kenya on a Partnership Agreement with the Government of Kenya for the implementation of the enabling policy environment component of the Rural Kenya Financial Inclusion Facility Project of the Government of Kenya (RKFINFA).
This flagship project supports the transformation of rural and smallholder agriculture by improving the access of the smallholder farmers and rural enterprises to appropriate financial services through private sector-led development. The three main components of the project are provision of technical support and innovation services, provision of rural investment instruments (guarantee facilities) and enabling the rural finance environment and project coordination.
Our role focused on establishing the partnership framework enabling FSD Kenya to provide financial and technical assistance to strengthen rural digital finance ecosystems, improve access to fintech-driven rural credit and payment solutions, and foster inclusive financial infrastructure.
Kaplan & Stratton supported FSD Kenya with the project implementation arrangements, primarily the Partnership Agreement with the Government of Kenya, to establish the framework for the performance of the third component of RKFINFA in furtherance of fintech-enabled rural finance transformation. This collaboration underpins efforts to extend digital financial services to underserved rural populations, driving inclusive growth and resilience in the agriculture sector.
In General
1. BlackRock Inc
Acting as co-counsel with Clifford Chance in advising Blackrock Inc. on its acquisition of a 31.25% stake in Lake Turkana Wind Power (LTWP) though its UK Subsidiary, CFP Holdings Limited. LTWP is the largest windfarm of its kind in Africa comprising of 365 wind turbines, each with a capacity of 850 kilowatts. This translates into a wind power facility with a 310 MW capacity which currently meets approximately 14% of Kenya’s electricity demand serving 1.2 million homes.
Our role included undertaking an extensive due diligence on LTWP considering the legacy challenges faced by the project which are in the public domain, advising on the share acquisition documents, advising on local law issues and assisting with completion – which included obtaining local regulatory approvals from the Competition Authority of Kenya and the Energy Regulatory Commission.
2. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A
Supported JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A on its establishment of a Representative Office in Kenya under the Kenyan Banking Act and the Prudential Guideline on Authorization of Representative Offices in Kenya (CBK/PG/17) published by the Central Bank of Kenya. The primary role of the Representative Office is to identify potential business opportunities in Kenya and neighbouring East African countries with the intention that any resulting transactions are to be booked with existing legal entities outside of Kenya. The Central Bank of Kenya issued JPMorgan with the authorization to operate the Representative Office on 14 October 2024.
The JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A Representative Office Kenya will contribute to the diversity of Kenya’s financial sector and catalyse trade and investments. Additionally, the authorisation of the Representative Office affirms Kenya’s standing as a premier financial services hub within the Region.
Client Feedback:
Chambers Global:
“Kaplan & Stratton come across as very pragmatic and commercially aware”
“The firm gives well-researched opinions and handles the projects in a seamless manner.”
“I am impressed by its ability to summarise issues and propose practical solutions. The team is able to attend to critical issues and also identifies non-critical issues.”
“Kaplan & Stratton offers a quick turnaround on enquiries, going out of their way to reach out and give feedback.”
“The team’s collective experience and expertise in various areas is a major resource that allows them to analyse a matter from various angles and give the best possible approach.”
“Kaplan & Stratton are able to handle complex and sophisticated matters with ease while simultaneously simplifying the subject matter for people without legal knowledge.”
“Kaplan & Stratton respond and guide beyond the client’s question by addressing the underlying concerns, resulting in conclusive legal advice.”
IFLR1000
“Market leaders with high quality and error free work. They have the best drafting skills in this market, clearly capturing the commercial intentions of the parties in simple understandable language.
An international client in the insurance industry highlights “effectiveness” and “professionalism”, as well as praising the firm’s high command of company laws and regulation”.
Legal 500 EMEA: Continuously ranked as leading law firm
“The team at this firm is very proactive and professional.”
“This practice is unique because of the personalised service it offers to its clients. No client is too small to be accorded the requisite expertise and time.”
“Kaplan & Stratton’s team is considered to be ‘second to none’. Clients have ‘full confidence’ in the team, which provides ‘service standards similar to those of the world’s best law firms.”
